Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's Disease is the now the 6th leading cause of death in America. By 2010 there will be more than 500,000 new individuals diagnosed with Alzheimers each year. And right now there are more than 5.3 million individuals with the disease. The need for hands on care is so great that families are loosing time from work to care for loved ones. The safety of an individual with Alzheimer's disease becomes the number one issue for families. Individuals forget simple tasks such as cooking, turning off a stove, or they may put metal into a microwave. Yet families take too long to make the decisions to keep their loved one safe. Usually an accident occurs before action is taken. We know that healthcare costs are 3 times higher for people with Alzheimer's disease or dementia's than for other individuals age 65 and over. Understanding how to obtain help and how to pay for help can be confusing. The best thing you can do for your loved one with Alzheimer's disease is to plan ahead. From the moment you learn of the disease you need to start planning. Learn about what care options are available to you. Anticipate the costs and find resources to pay for them. And obtain support through a support group or network of others battling the disease with their loved one. To find out more information go to the Alzheimer's Association. Learn the 10 signs of Alzheimer's disease. Family Caregivers Network offers many educational videos's and resources to families at no cost. To find out more information contact one of our geriatric specialists for a free phone consultation.